forty-two Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 I've seen a lot of references over the years to how SM (at least the U.S. edition) doesn't cover negative numbers, and that this can be a problem when moving into an American secondary sequence, because they assume you've seen negative numbers before. But I haven't seen much discussion about what people using SM *do* about it - how they go about adding in some negative number work. (My google-fu has failed me twice now on this subject, once a couple of years ago, and then again last night.) The only hint I found was that someone said that Lial Pre-Algebra had a good section on negative numbers, one that apparently doesn't require prior exposure. My oldest (7th) has gone through SM 5B (U.S. edition), and we just started AOPS Pre-algebra, which assumes you have some basic familiarity with negative numbers. At this point, I'm hoping to use either internet resources or what I already have on hand with my oldest (potentially useful things I own: Dragonbox Algebra, the first Hands-On Equations app, and Dolciani Pre-Algebra). That way we can just go ahead and get on with things (otherwise I'd be tempted to get a cheap used copy of Lial's, because it was the only mentioned resource in any thread that I saw last night). My plan, such as it is, is to hit Kahn Academy on negative numbers till she has the basic idea, and then move back into the Negation section of AOPS. Does that sound reasonable? Is there something better to do instead? In addition, since I have younger kids, and also because I'm very curious: what have other SM users done, or plan to do, about the lack of negative numbers in SM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 My kids used SM Standard edition so negative numbers were already covered. However they learned the concept from every day life by looking at our utilities bills and credit card bills. MEP Math has a unit on negative numbers that is a 10 page PDF. http://www.cimt.org.uk/projects/mepres/book7/bk7_15.pdf 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dudley Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 I sought out a pre algebra program that had sections on negitive number and probability and exponents ,(sm briefly covers exponents I think) I settled on BJU , it also added scientific notion as a bonus. im not familiar with what you chose, I have used the first book in the key to algebra series to cover negative numbers, it does pretty well and it is kind of nicely self contained. It’s subtitle is operations with integers, but it covers what is a negative number how to add and subtract and multiply and divide them as well as prime factorization and order of operations. It would be a excellent bridge option to another program that requires negative number knowledge 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 They should be covered in SM6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 7 minutes ago, Roadrunner said: They should be covered in SM6. It is not covered in the US edition. The Standards edition has it. Page 15 https://www.singaporemath.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/SSUSandSTD2009.pdf 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted August 31, 2018 Author Share Posted August 31, 2018 12 minutes ago, Roadrunner said: They should be covered in SM6. 3 minutes ago, Arcadia said: It is not covered in the US edition. The Standards edition has it. Page 15 https://www.singaporemath.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/SSUSandSTD2009.pdf That's what I had thought, and when I flipped through my U.S. edition of SM6 to check, nothing was jumping out at me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roadrunner Posted August 31, 2018 Share Posted August 31, 2018 Sorry. I remember seeing it in 6, but I can’t remember which edition! It’s been too long. ☹️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah0000 Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 I have a younger kid who has only been through SM 3 (switched to BA) but he's using the Math Mammoth blue worktext on Integers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 We used the Standards edition, which has them, but you don't need to cover negative numbers in elementary math. Just be sure that your prealgebra or algebra text deals with them (and they should) and you're good to go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAttachedMama Posted September 1, 2018 Share Posted September 1, 2018 (edited) We used the standards version. Addition and subtraction of negative numbers were covered in...I think....4a or 4b? However, multiplication, division, and negatives mixed with exponents were not covered. It really wasn't a big deal for us. I've yet to come across a pre-algebra text that doesn't cover (or at least thoroughly review) negative numbers. That is sort of what pre-algebra is for: firming up all of those basic operations and then introducing very simple algebra. For example, in AOPS pre-algebra, negation and how to handle basic addition/subtraction/multiplication/division with negative numbers is covered in chapter one. (Caveat: I personally feel like the AOPS explanation in Ch. 1 is WAY over the top. I think there is a like a page and a half proof on subtraction at some point in their explanation. ? So I am not sure I would use that text to teach negative numbers for the first time. However, you can use that spot in the text as a book as a reminder to stop and make sure your child gets it. It can probably be taught in a single morning. If your child has a firm arithmetic background, which Singapore math will give you, they will probably get it right away and you can move on. ) I just quickly explained things and showed them a few samples and they got it in a single morning. If you need help with explaining it so they understand it conceptually, I think the Kahn Academy videos on this topic are good and so are the Math Mammoth pre-algebra videos. https://www.mathmammoth.com/videos/prealgebra/pre-algebra-videos.php (See rational number section) Edited September 1, 2018 by TheAttachedMama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forty-two Posted September 5, 2018 Author Share Posted September 5, 2018 Thanks so much :). I ended up getting MM's Integers pdf. (Actually, when I went to MM's site to look, I saw that it was the last few hours of the hsbc MM sale, and ended up getting the whole Blue series, lol.) Dd12 and I did the beginning of the Integers pdf this morning, through absolute value, and then moved into AoPS's negation section. Went pretty well so far, and we can always do more sections of MM as needed. Thanks again for your help and advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted September 5, 2018 Share Posted September 5, 2018 We’re on standards edition and it’s covered. Seems strange they wouldn’t do it with us edition Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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